Proposed amendment to the Metropolitan Region Scheme now available for comment

29/05/1998 12:00 AM

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29/5/98

Plans to allow industry at the Forrestfield marshalling yards are shown in a proposed amendment to the Metropolitan Region Scheme, now available for comment.

Planning Minister Graham Kierath said the amendment proposed to transfer most of the marshalling yards from the railways reservation to the industrial zone.

"The amendment, if finalised, will also change the road pattern to service the new industrial area and regional traffic while keeping vehicles out of residential areas," he said.

"A new road is planned through the industrial estate linking Abernethy Road to Kalamunda Road, and Dundas Road would be downgraded.

"Any new development, including Co-operative Bulk Handling and Joe White Maltings, will have access to the new road proposed in the amendment rather than to Dundas Road or any of the local roads to the east."

The amendment proposes to downgrade the status of Dundas Road by removing the Important Regional Road reservation between Tonkin Highway and Wittenoom Road, leaving it as a local distributor road.

Rezoning the marshalling yards for industrial use will provide additional industrial land in the strategic industrial area adjoining Kewdale-Welshpool.

Other proposals include:

·zoning urban a strip of land east of the marshalling yards between Milner and Maida Vale roads;

·reserving Abernethy Road between Kewdale Road and McDowell Street as Important Regional Roads;

·adding land to the Dundas Road reserve between Wittenoom and Kalamunda roads; and -

·transferring a small section of railways reserve east of the Kewdale Freight Terminal to industrial.

Mr Kierath said a strip of railway reserve on the east of the marshalling yards would remain to accommodate the Midland-Kwinana rail line.

An environmental review was being advertised for comment at the same time as the proposed amendment to the MRS.

"When it initiated this amendment, the Western Australian Planning Commission referred it to the Environmental Protection Authority as required under the new planning legislation," Mr Kierath said.

"This provides for environmental assessment up front

"The EPA ordered an environmental assessment for this amendment and the subsequent report, the Forrestfield Marshalling Yards Environmental Review, can be viewed at the same time as the MRS amendment.

"Environmental conditions set for the amendment will be incorporated in the MRS for this site."

Mr Kierath said the MRS amendment, if finalised, would also require the two local governments to amend their planning schemes to correspond.

"The Shire of Kalamunda and the City of Belmont are advertising amendments to their district planning schemes concurrently with this MRS amendment," he said.

"People will be able to see the full picture of what is proposed and comment on any or all of these proposed amendments as well as the environmental review."

Copies of the amendment report for the Forrestfield Marshalling Yards amendment to the Metropolitan Region Scheme are available at the offices of the Ministry for Planning, Shires of Kalamunda and Swan, Cities of Belmont, Perth, Fremantle and Bayswater, the Town of Bassendean, and the State Reference Library.